Henri walks dogs on the Upper West Side, relying on his practiced smile to disarm the prejudices of strangers.

Henri arrives late to FATE debate practice and is invited to a penthouse party by classmate Evie.

Henri interviews with Donielle, a Columbia alumna and award-winning playwright, as part of his college admissions process.

Donielle challenges Henri's rehearsed answers and suggests that his desire to attend Columbia is really his father's dream, not his own.

Corinne discovers Henri's dog-walking business is his own invention and blackmails him into helping her become more social.

Henri brings Corinne to Evie's Tribeca penthouse party, where her humor and directness genuinely surprise him.

Uncle Lion advises Henri to get closer to Corinne in order to exploit her mother's influence as a Columbia dean.

Ming announces to Henri that he has been accepted into his dream school, Peking University.

Corinne secretly buys Henri an Amtrak ticket and arranges a trip to Montreal so he can interview at McGill's design program.

Henri has a relaxed and successful admissions interview with McGill's design program in Montreal.

Henri and Corinne walk the cobblestone streets of Montreal, admit their feelings for each other, and share their first kiss.

Henri sends a fraudulent recommendation email from Chantale's Columbia account to the Dean of Admissions on his own behalf.

Henri receives his Columbia acceptance notice, then is immediately summoned to Mr. Vu's office for questioning.

Columbia rescinds Henri's acceptance after flagging his application over the fraudulent email sent from Chantale's account.

Henri checks his email after getting his phone back and finds an acceptance letter from McGill University.

Henri Haltiwanger is a charming, hardworking first-generation American who has spent years chasing his father's dream of attending Columbia University. After a disastrous admissions interview, he befriends his neighbor Corinne, who uncovers his fake dog-walking business and blackmails him into helping her build a social life. As their friendship deepens, Corinne helps Henri recognize his true passion for design and arranges a trip to Montreal, where he interviews at McGill and the two begin a romantic relationship. Desperate to fulfill his father's dream before it slips away, Henri makes the catastrophic decision to send a fraudulent recommendation email from Corinne's mother's Columbia account. The fraud is swiftly exposed, his Columbia acceptance is rescinded, and Henri must face the consequences of betraying the people closest to him. Ultimately, after confronting the damage he has done, Henri receives an acceptance from McGill — the school that truly fits who he is.

Henri's rise, fall, and reinvention through the Columbia admissions race.

Chantale Troy interviews Henri for the dog-walking position and hires him despite Corinne's skepticism about his age.

Henri's parents discuss his upcoming Columbia admissions interview over dinner; his mother urges him to simply be himself.

Guidance counselor Mr. Vu urges Henri to have realistic expectations about his chances of getting into Columbia.

Henri and Corinne bond at school over their shared experience as two of the few Black students at FATE.

Henri reluctantly accompanies Corinne to Marvyn's pool party after learning she has developed a crush on his wealthy rival.

Corinne tells Henri that her English teacher noticed her social growth and is writing a revised recommendation for Princeton.

Henri performs badly at debate practice; teammates warn him he cannot keep getting by on charm alone.

Henri tells Mr. Vu that FATE should stop promising students the system is fair when wealthy legacy applicants like Marvyn always win.

FATE's debate team wins a competition at St. Celeste; Henri performs confidently and earns praise from his captain Greg.

Henri and Corinne return to New York as a couple, but Henri downplays his interest in McGill when talking to his father.

Corinne receives her acceptance letter from Princeton University, her dream school.

Chantale and Corinne leave Henri to care for the puppy while they travel to Switzerland for an academic conference.

Henri sees his mother wearing her firefighter uniform for the first time and feels newly inspired to seize his own opportunity.

Henri is suspended from FATE for one week and required to complete a mandatory summer ethics seminar.

Henri and Corinne meet in Saratoga Springs, halfway between their universities, having rekindled their romantic relationship during their second year of college.

Beyond the headline moments, Henri's senior year is defined by a steady accumulation of significant events that build the pressures and relationships around him. From being hired to walk Corinne's puppy to realizing that his guidance counselor and the admissions system may be working against him, Henri faces mounting challenges at every turn. He watches Ming and Corinne succeed with their dream schools while his own prospects narrow, and his social life grows more complicated as he navigates rivalry with Marvyn and a fading arrangement with Evie. A trip to Switzerland removes Corinne's mother from the picture at a critical moment, and seeing his own mother proudly wear her firefighter uniform inspires Henri to seize his opportunity — with disastrous results. After the fallout from his mistake, Henri faces institutional punishment, a shaken support system, and the long road to rebuilding trust before arriving at a hopeful resolution.

The supporting events that shape Henri's pressured and pivotal senior year.

Corinne interrupts FATE debate practice to reclaim her reserved study room, creating her first direct clash with Henri.

Henri stops Ming from buying counterfeit Nikes, revealing his deep and genuine passion for sneaker design.

Walking home from Evie's party, Henri learns that Corinne's mother is the Dean of English at Columbia University.

Henri notices he has started looking forward to seeing Corinne and is quietly charmed by her unpredictability.

Evie confronts Henri at Marvyn's party, telling him he has always made decisions about their relationship without asking what she wants.

Henri hides from Corinne while out with Ming, then admits to Ming for the first time that he has romantic feelings for her.

Henri tells Corinne about McGill's design program; she notices he comes fully alive when talking about sneaker design.

Corinne tells Henri she now has feelings for someone new when he asks whether she still likes Marvyn.

Henri discovers his father has been secretly checking the Columbia admissions website, revealing the full weight of Jacques's hopes.

Corinne returns early from Switzerland and tries to initiate intimacy with Henri, who pulls away out of guilt over the email.

Henri confesses to his parents about the fraudulent email; a fierce and hurtful argument erupts between Henri and his father.

Corinne confronts Henri on the street, accusing him of using her and putting her mother's professional reputation at risk.

Uncle Lion tells Henri he is a privileged young man and firmly defends Jacques's right to be outraged by Henri's actions.

Chantale reveals that Corinne had convinced her to write a real recommendation for Henri, and that second letter exposed his fraud.

Henri and Jacques reconcile during a dog walk; Jacques assures Henri he is not a trophy and supports his dream to attend McGill.

Pool 3 captures the pivotal turning points and emotional revelations that drive Henri's coming-of-age transformation from charming performer to authentic self. Early moments — like stopping Ming from buying fake shoes and gradually realizing he has fallen for Corinne — reveal who Henri really is beneath his polished surface. Key confrontations with Evie and Mr. Vu chip away at Henri's faith in his own charm, while Corinne's subtle hint that she has feelings for someone new accelerates his emotional honesty. The discovery of Chantale's open laptop and Corinne's unexpected early return from Switzerland mark the moment Henri's moral failure becomes irreversible. The cascade of confrontations that follow — with Corinne, Lion, and Chantale — forces Henri to accept the full weight of his actions and the people he has hurt. His reconciliation with his father on a quiet dog walk becomes the emotional climax of the novel, freeing Henri to finally pursue a future that belongs entirely to him.

The key decisions and revelations that strip away Henri's masks and transform his identity.

Ben Philippe

Novel

Fiction

Guide